I love these kinds of phone calls: They start with the usual small talk from an industry acquaintance, after which the punch line is delivered.

In this case, our friends at Hagerty Insurance said, “Hey, we're going to be driving a 1974 Jensen Interceptor and a '77 Datsun 280Z from Phoenix to St. Louis along Route 66. You guys wanna come?”

Yes. Yes we do.

As it turns out, the cars belong to an owner who now resides in Michigan, so they're heading home. And, if you're going to travel between Arizona and the Great Lakes, why not do it via the Mother Road, right?

So, why St. Louis? That's where the Route 66 road trip ends but the real fun begins: Our automotive odd couple will be joined by two more travelers, a Series I Lotus Esprit and a Porsche 911SC, after which the whole motley crew will wind its way toward Traverse City, Mich., in an oily display of '70s machismo.

In an attempt to stack the odds in favor of a successful completion, all of the cars will have been inspected, serviced and deemed as good as . . . well, let's just say they won't be on fire, at least at the outset.

See how much gas a Chrysler 440 can use crossing the United States! Watch the dash of a Datsun crack in the desert sun before your very eyes. See flames leaping into the Illinois night sky from a Lotus engine compartment! It all starts on April 28, and we'll be bringing you video, photo and words to tell the whole sordid tale.

More soon . . .

Andrew Stoy
- Digital editor Andrew Stoy is an avid enthusiast of all cars who has spent the past 15 years writing about the automobile in print, online and for advertising and PR firms.
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